Michigan State University Breslin Student Events Center

IMMERSIVE DESIGN TELLS MSU BASKETBALL STORY

The transformative renovation of the Breslin Student Events Center, which incorporates elements from LED displays to legacy artifacts, reshapes the design of the 25-year-old building into a dynamic legacy for the Michigan State Spartan’s men’s and women’s basketball programs. The new Breslin Center opened this fall and has been reported by ESPN to be "better than most pro arenas."

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A New Focal Point on Campus

ROSSETTI strengthened the approach and entry by creating a focal point at the Northwest campus entrance to better integrate into the campus community. The new Championship Plaza creates a 33,000 SF space to accommodate the significant game-day flow of pedestrian traffic and embraces the iconic bronze statue of Magic Johnson.

The new canted and curved exterior glass façade, called the Gilbert Pavilion, transforms the sense of arrival as visitors are immediately immersed in Spartan legacy. The Pavilion not only houses the new 26,000 SF Basketball Hall of History but creates a grand connection to the newly expanded arena concourse, with views into the bowl.

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Spartan Legacy Highlighted Through Technology

The interior’s integration of state-of-the-art interactive displays throughout the museum-quality hall highlight the Spartans’ legacy and accomplishments, starting with five LED columns with synchronized content. A monumental Spartan helmet lends a dynamic approach to the iconic mark, while being mounted to the textured maple wall.

“Almost all the displays are dynamic – most are LED boards or LCD screens which are completely customizable in terms of content (which is tailored to both men’s and women’s teams). It’s the beauty of using new technology instead of typical static graphics and displays,” said Matt Taylor, Design Lead at ROSSETTI. “Nowadays, it’s quite easy to change the content and there’s more equality than in the past.”

Other new components of the hall, such as the uniform diorama display, showcase the latest trends in uniform branding for both men’s and women’s teams. A representation of the program’s stars exhibit the past, present, and future, augmented by the electronics.

A need for exceptional AV design found ROSSETTI partnering with Anthony James Partners as the audio-video consultant.

The ROSSETTI team also inventively reused the court floor from the 2000 National Championship game. The hardwood panels make a focal point for the display of the Championship Wall, which is directly adjacent to the digital Spartan helmet. The team also installed a 15” x 8” panel that links the brand-new Hall of History to the teams’ refueling station and captures the senior players’ tradition of kissing center court.

“It’s really amazing to see those real-world artifacts mixed in with the dynamic, high-end tech we have throughout the facility,” Taylor said.

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Renovations to Boost Recruitment and Community Attendance

Other additions include the 5,000-square-foot strength and conditioning room (named after the university’s latest superstar to graduate to the NBA, Draymond Green) and the alumni locker room. Green donated $3.1 million to the program in 2015.

“The ROSSETTI team are absolute professionals with sports-related facilities,” Dan Gilbert noted as he unveiled the complex during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Gilbert is the CEO of Quicken Loans and a graduate of MSU.

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The expansion of the Breslin Center goes beyond merely serving the university’s athletic program. It offers an expanded concourse space, a public plaza, and totally new food and beverage experiences for a multitude of campus, community, and entertainment events.

With ROSSETTI’s transformative design, the Breslin Center has now graduated from a late 80's utilitarian campus venue to a world-class professional entertainment center that proudly integrates the Spartan legacy like no other collegiate arena in the world.

The ROSSETTI team are absolute professionals with sports-related facilities.

Dan Gilbert

Chairman + Founder | Quicken Loans

Rossetti

The ROSSETTI discover, dare, deliver approach transforms design ideas from unthinkable to reality. We work with our partner clients on projects ranging from stadium design and mixed-use developments to hospitality and workplace. Family-owned for 50 years, ROSSETTI is an architecture firm of 100 talented team members headquartered in the heart of downtown Detroit.